You're Missing It!

February 1, 2019
Modern-day life tethered to a cellphone prevents caregivers from enjoying the park's natural beauty, observing the unexpected, and reacting to their children's discoveries. It is a clear, bright spring day, and two children are enjoying the wonder of it all. Dogs run amok and upset their walker as they chase squirrels; flowers drop from a local vendor's cart; there's a newly hatched baby bird, a fluttering butterfly. A little boy wants his father to experience it all with him, but Dad is too busy, never looks up, buried in his screen. "You're missing it!" shouts the boy as his frustration grows over his father's unresponsiveness. But a little girl whose mother is equally absorbed with her phone begins a conversation, and boy and girl share the park's happenings. And then--an escaped rhino from the zoo galumphs through, knocking Dad's phone from his hand and forcing a sudden shocked awareness that results in a loving hug between father and son. " 'See, Dad?' 'Oh, yes! I do. I see.' " The humorous cartoon artwork enfolds the sparse narrative in a vibrant atmosphere, completing a message that may be more pertinent for the adult sharing the story than a child reader. The protagonist presents white, and his new friend is a girl of color with afro-puff pigtails. Distressingly, her mother, a woman of color, never looks up, rhino or no rhino.A timely comment on technology's drawbacks in today's society. (Picture book. 4-7)

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January 24, 2020

PreS-Gr 1-A small child pulls his father through a city park: "Come on! Let's go, Daddy!" Dad follows but looks down at his phone the whole time. The child greets various wonders, like birds and squirrels. Dad continues to "Beep bop beep" on his phone. Then things get sillier. A roller-skater is pulled off balance by dogs chasing a jogger. A little girl watches from the bushes while her mom engages with her own phone. Together the kids watch a bird hatch and get sneezed on by a rhinoceros, all the while repeating to their parents, "You're missing it!" At last the first child's dad looks up from his phone to enjoy a beautiful butterfly. He hugs the boy and carries him out of the park on his shoulders. The girl says hello to the butterfly and goodbye to the boy as she trots behind her phone-obsessed mom. The squirrels stare curiously at the phone that the dad presumably left behind. While not subtle in its messaging, this is a refreshing reminder that kids aren't the only ones who benefit from a break from their electronics. The bright watercolor illustrations and playful details keep the story light and fun. The hand-lettered text adds an especially lively touch. VERDICT Libraries looking for a light and timely exploration of parent engagement will not want to miss this amusing title.-Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

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